Discussion»Questions»Outside the Mug» I am 71 YO; after a day's activities I am all stiff & sore next morning. Would I live longer if there was a cure for rigor mortis?
Arthritis sucks. Prevention is the best cure, unfortunately, but proper diet, nutrients and exercise helps immeasurably. And there ain't no cure for rigor unless you are Sai Baba.
Raising from the dead
Excerpts from the book "Sai Baba. The Holy Man and The Psychiatrist"
Documented accounts of Sai Baba's powers must number in the thousands. Many have been collected in Howard Murphet's exciting and informative book "Man of Miracles". Following is one of the most dramatic stories that I have heard, related here because of its uniqueness and its bearing on what happened to me later. It concerns the reported resurrection of Walter Cowan, allegedly brought back from the dead on Christmas Day in 1971. Dr. John Hislop, a former professor and corporate executive, now retired and living in Mexico, was a witness to this extraordinary drama. Here is a summary of his account:
"Early Christmas morning, news spread among devotees gathered about Baba that an elderly American had suffered a fatal heart attack. Upon hearing the rumor my wife and I at once went to the Cowans hotel, where Elsie confirmed that her husband Walter had died. She had prayed to Sai Baba for help and with great self-control and recollection of human mortality had ended the prayer with, 'Let God's will be done.'
"Walter's body was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Later that day, when Elsie and her friend Mrs. Ratan Lal went to the hospital, they found that Sai Baba had already been there as well. To their utter amazement they found Walter alive."
Recognizing the need for documentation of Walter's death in the form of medical reports and witnesses' testimony, Dr. Hislop investigated the matter fully. "At my request, Judge Damadar Rao of Madras interviewed the doctor who had attended Walter when he arrived at the hospital. The doctor's statement was that Walter was indeed dead when he examined him, shortly after the ambulance arrived at the hospital. There was no sign of life.
"He pronounced Walter dead, then stuffed his ears and nose with cotton. The body was covered with a sheet and moved to an empty room. The doctor then left the hospital and missed seeing Sai Baba while he was there. Upon returning to the hospital after Sai Baba had left, the doctor found Walter alive. He was unable to explain this.
"Later that day Sai Baba informed his devotees that he had indeed brought Waiter back to life. He did not disclose the reasons for doing so, however; this remains a mystery he has not yet chosen to explain.
" There were two or three subsequent occasions on which Baba attended to Walter's health in an extraordinary manner. Dr. Hislop describes Baba's delivering a spiritual discourse and giving out awards at a meeting which he attended. After the meeting, Baba turned to Hislop and said, While I was talking in the meeting, Mrs. Cowan called me. I at once went to the hospital and did what was necessary. Mr. Cowan's health had taken a bad turn.
Hislop continues: "So even while busy on the speaker's platform, Sai Baba had gone to the hospital and performed what was necessary. Yet to the eyes of my friends and myself he had continued in speech and action on the platform the whole time. How does one explain this mystery?
When Walter had recovered sufficiently to be moved from Madras to Bangalore, he was described by Hislop as appearing extraordinarily well. "Dr. Gnaneswaran, with whom my wife and I had been acquainted for several years, was the Cowans' attending physician in Bangalore. He had obtained Walter's medical history, with its specific laboratory tests showing severe diabetes of long standing and various other diseased conditions. He compared it with his own laboratory tests and could scarcely believe the results. Not only were the diabetic symptoms now completely absent, but the tests for other diseased conditions proved to be negative as well. He claimed in amazement, 'Only the Divine Baba, only God himself, could do this.' "
The following is an account by Waiter Cowan himself of his apparent death and resurrection under the grace of Sai Baba:
"While in the Connemara Hotel in Madras, two days after I arrived, I was taken very sick with pneumonia. As I gasped for breath. suddenly all the body struggle was over, and I died. I found myself very calm, in a state of wonderful bliss; and the Lord, Sai Baba, was by my side.
"Even though my body lay on the bed. dead, my mind kept working throughout the entire period of time until Baba brought me back. There was no anxiety or fear, but a tremendous sense of well-being, for I had lost all fear of death.
"Then Baba took me to a very large hall where there were hundreds of people milling around. This was the hall where the records of all of my previous lives were kept. Baba and I stood before the Court of Justice. The person in charge knew Baba very well, and he asked for the records of all my lives. He was very kind, and I had the feeling that whatever was decided would be the best for my soul.
"The records were brought into the hall: armloads of scrolls, all of which seemed to be in different languages. As they were read, Baba interpreted them. In the beginning they told of countries that have not existed for thousands of years, and I could not recall them. When they reached the time of King David, the reading of my lives became more exciting. I could hardly believe how great I apparently was in each life that followed.
"As the reading of my lives continued, it seemed that what really counted were my motives and character, as I had stood for outstanding peaceful, spiritual and political activity. I do not remember all the names, but I am included in almost all of the history books of the world from the beginning of time. As I incarnated in the different countries, I carried out my mission--which was peace and spirituality.
"After about two hours, they finished reading the scrolls, and the Lord, Sai Baba, said that I had not completed the work that I was born to do and asked the judge that I be turned over to him to complete my mission of spreading the truth. He requested that my soul be returned to my body, under his grace. The judge said, 'So be it.'
"The case was dismissed and I left with Baba to return to my body. I hesitated to leave this wonderful bliss. I looked at my body and thought that it would be like stepping into a cesspool to return to it, but I knew that it was best to complete my mission so that I could eventually merge with the Lord, Sai Baba. So I stepped back into my body ... and that very instant it started all over again - trying to get my breath, being as sick as you can be and still be alive. I opened my eyes and looked at my wife and said, 'You sure look beautiful in pink....'
I know that, but a cure for rigor mortis wouldn't make you live longer. That cures itself after a couple days. Arthritis affects me (and you, apparently) here and now, and there's no cure. Cold weather makes it worse - and guess what season we're having in Australia right now?
You and I are the same age. Recovering from activities takes slightly longer for us that "recovering" from rigor mortis. (I may have to contemplate that concept for a while....)
Rigor Mortis is a good means of indicating time of death as is normally visible within the first thirty-six to forty-eight hours after death; after which it leaves the body.
Slartibartfast 